Lexi Thompson became only the second woman to record a sub-70 round in a PGA Tour event on Friday when she carded a 2-under 69 at the PGA Tour’s Shriners Children’s Open. Thompson joins Michelle Wie West, who twice shot 2-under 68 at the Sony Open.
Thompson’s exhilarating run toward the weekend made Friday golf at the Shriners must-see TV. While her even-par effort is expected to come up short, the 11-time LPGA winner dug deep to hover around the cutline for the entire back nine.
Thompson became only the seventh woman to tee it up in a PGA Tour event. No woman has made the cut against the men since Babe Didrikson Zaharias in 1945.
Here are five takeaways from Thompson’s inspiring effort:
1
This was a win
Lexi Thompson of the United States walks from the ninth hole during the second round of the Shriners Children’s Open at TPC Summerlin on October 13, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
When word came down just over a week ago that Thompson was going to tee it up against the men, plenty of folks (this writer included) had their doubts.
But Thompson can leave Las Vegas with her head held high after coming oh-so-close to making the cut. Folks who’ve never watched one minute of LPGA coverage saw the tour’s most popular American star hang right there
with men, pounding drives more than 300 yards and clawing back to hang around the cut line right to the finish.
This was, in fact, good timing for Thompson. She proved a lot of people wrong.